Chapter Two + One Conversation Isn't Enough

In my time alone, I unconsciously took apart Sage's motorcycle. The more time I spent on the motorcycle, the more time she would talk with me in the garage – away from Rachel and her big mouth. Rach would surely say something to Paul and he was likely to blab it on to my pack and Sam's. And if Embry got a hold of this information, I was sure to never live it down.

What was it about her that I couldn't stop thinking about? The first time I met her, she's basically telling me off. Now, a whole year later, she's begging me to fix her bike and discussing my Rabbit and her Camaro with me. I barely even noticed that I had forgiven her so quickly. I still had no idea who she was. I didn't know her last name and or why the elders allowed someone who wasn't Quileute to live here.

Truthfully, I was longing to hear her voice again.

I cleaned my hands on the rag before stepping into the bright sunlight. The momentary blinding was short lived as the light gray clouds moved together overhead. "Hey Jake!" Embry's oversized voice carried all the way to the back of the garage.

With him were Seth and Quil, along with little Claire. "Unca Jay!" I bent down to scoop her into my arms and kiss her on the cheek. Quickly, she ended up back in Quil's arms. The great imprinting at its work.

"What's up guys?" Seth looked a little embarrassed walking across the dirt with his hands in his jean pockets. "What's going on?"

"You didn't hear? I thought Billy would've told you first." Quil answered.

"Told me what?" Now they had me worried. I hadn't seen or heard Billy call my name once today.

"About the new elder. They're voting him in right now," Embry added. He slapped Seth on the back, making him choke on his own air. "It's Seth's rich uncle from California."

"He's not rich." Seth barked, his phasing instincts ready to unleash themselves on Embry.

"Oh come on, Seth. He just donated a hundred thousand dollars to the rez. Not including the almost half a million he'd already given to the elders. How is he not rich?" Quil questioned softly to keep the peace between us.

Claire chimed in, "Pwretty lady here twoo."

Embry came over to me and slapped my back. "Yeah, that girl you got lost in the woods with before you went to take care of Bella. The cute girl, I might add." He winked at me. "Nothing like the girls around here."

Seth growled this time. "That's my cousin you're talking about Embry."

I laughed uneasily. "Oh I, uh, met her already. She wants me to fix her bike."

Embry backed into my garage. "Right. And I'm king of the savages. Pssh." He had this subtle look on his face that screamed 'I'll fight you for her.' "So when Renesmee's away, the real Jake comes out to play."

"Shut up, Embry. The girl, I mean Sage, just dropped off her bike. We talked cars and she left. Nothing happened." I followed him inside, but returned to the bike. He scoffed at me. "I don't see any girl the way I see Nessie."

And I was right. I saw Sage differently. I was craving for her.

But why? Why did my imprinting nature have to change now? Why couldn't I just be like Claire and Quil? Or Jared and Kim? Or even Sam and Emily? Why was I the person that everything had to change for? This had to stop. All I needed to know was how.

"Hey guys," that soft alto voice called; her frame appeared out of nowhere.

She looked different from earlier, a slight glow to her skin tone. Her clothes were less extravagant than before: a simple v-neck t-shirt and jean Bermuda shorts. Still without shoes. She had another set of feathers on her shorts and around her wrist.

Embry stood in front of her then grabbed for her hand. "Hel-lo. Let me introduce myself, I'm Embry." He kissed it and let it go. She slowly pulled it away, a forced smile on her face. I scoffed and shook my head.

"Sage." She looked at me and crossed her eyes. I chuckled under my breath.

"Embry, you've got two seconds to step away from my cousin."

Sage went over and attempted to put her arm around his neck. Seth nudged her in the side in happiness and she settled for his waist. They bumped fists and laughed again. "S&S power!"

"How are you two cousins anyway?" Embry's stupidity let loose, interrupting the family moment. Although I wanted to know myself, the last thing I wanted to do was offend Seth and the new neighbor whom I would probably see a lot of in the near future. So I let Embry stick his foot in his mouth while the bike became my priority.

"Um, the natural way?" Sage answered in question, but with a serious attitude.

"Well, you don't look Quileute."

I dropped my wrench. Either Sage was going to stop Seth from ripping out Embry's vocal cords or I was. And if it involved me, it was probably going to involve someone getting hurt and knowing the secret – and that someone was most likely Sage.

To my surprise, Sage was able to hold Seth back. He immediately stood very still beside her. He looked as if he had calmed down instantly.

Sage loosened her grip around Seth's waist. "I'm half Quileute. My mother is African-American." She pushed her hair behind her ear. "And my dad is Leah and Seth's uncle, Harry's brother."

Maybe Embry had known that this was his cue to leave. But he never walked away without making a scene of some sort. That was always Embry.

"Later Seth, Jake, Quil. And you too pretty face." Sage rolled her eyes.

"We gotta go too. I know Mom's probably looking for me. I'll tell her you're here though. You know she wants to see you later." Seth kissed her on the cheek then went in a direction opposite to Embry's with Quil and Claire following close behind but too into each other to even pay attention.

Alone with her again.

I pretended to be so busy with my work. I could feel nothing but my own nervousness when she stepped next to the bike, considering that she hadn't really showed any interest in me that way. Did everyone have something to do right at this moment?

"Looks like it's going to need more work than I thought," I explained shivering from no cold. I wasn't phasing; my body just could not slow down when she stood next to me.

"Found the problem yet?" I shook my head, never looking up at her. I heard her click her teeth together. "I guess I rode it harder than I thought."

I took a quick glance up at her, without looking at her face. Man, even just seeing her body was making me dizzy. I felt the craving to talk to her more. Stay focused on the bike Jake.

"Where exactly did you ride this thing?" I forced out.

"Well, I was kind of in danger…" Once she moved away from the bike, my body calmed. She sat in the Rabbit and I could sort of look at her without blowing our conversation. "But I guess I ended up being the danger – to my bike, I mean."

I jogged to the end of the garage and picked up a part that was left from Bella's motorcycle frenzy. "Maybe you need some protection. Maybe it was good that you moved to the reservation."

She responded with nonchalance, "Thanks but, I think I can handle myself pretty well now."

_______

Peace and quiet. And ironically, silence was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to hear her soft alto voice that rose when she laughed and squeaked when she sneezed. I longed to run my fingers through her curls and let them wrap around each springy strand. The desire to capture her smile in my eyes made each part of my body shiver. To see her hips move, to feel her heart beat…

You got it bad Jake, I chuckled to myself while still fooling around with her bike. It had been hours since Sage left my garage, but her presence still lingered. I could still sniff her wonderfully perfect after-rain and night blooming jasmine scent. It didn't smell like perfume; it was natural. Which led me to question the weird things that happen when she's around.

What was the real connection between Seth and Sage that made him not kill Embry today? And why do I feel as if I'm going to phase every time she's close enough to my body? Crazy enough, I think all of these things have some sort of connection in the entire surprise that is Sage Clearwater.

"Whoosh." My head snapped toward the window closest to me. Without a sound, I placed my wrench and the motorcycle part I had in my hands on the ground.

Stealthily I tipped to the door with an eerie intuition that something wasn't quite right.

Outside the moon was sitting close, large and yellow behind the forest trees. In the distance I heard a howl that could only have belonged to Sam. As soon as I checked twice to make sure nothing was coming my way, I phased while running into the forest. During the entire run, I could smell this familiar odor. One that I hadn't smelled in a long time – since the Cullens left.

Please don't tell me the bloodsuckers are back, I heard Embry complain. Ever since he became part of my pack, that's most of what he's been doing. But then again, that's just about all he ever does.

I agree; dealing with the Cullens was work enough, Leah scoffed, raising her paw at me. So what are we going to do?

I say we follow it, Embry suggested. I've been waiting for a good chase with one of those filthy bloodsuckers.

I nudged him with my nose. Enough, we might not even have to go anywhere. The smell's starting to disappear. I searched for any sign of Sam. Most situations became serious only when he felt we would have to band together.

Nothing.

What are we waiting on? Seth questioned.

I listened harder for another sign of threat, or Sam. Uley never howled, the stench seemed further away than before. No one in Sam's pack tried to find us in the woods. Everything began to feel the way it did before the smell – a little normal.

I don't think we need to worry about anything. The stench isn't strong enough to be a bloodsucker. Especially for one to be on our land, I finally concluded. And now that there's no obvious threat, there was no reason for us to phase.

"I guess we all just go back home?" Seth asked aloud, confused. He quickly put on his pants while blocking everyone's view of Leah's changing.

I nodded to him just after I put on my pants. "No more stench, nothing's here. If whatever had that smell comes back, I'll go after it."

"Don't be so prideful not to call for us," Leah pointed her finger at me, making sure that I knew not to leave her out of anything. I turned around with a "yeah" before walking back to my place.

As soon as I was alone, that's when I heard it. It was light at first, but the deeper I went into the forest, the more increased the sound became.

It vaguely resonated as an eagle's call coming from the highest cliff on the beach. But this was more of a cry than a call. It was as if the eagle had lost something – babies even – something close, irreplaceable. In each call I could hear the grief; the evident pain made my body ache, even though I was not the one feeling hurt.

Something inside me wanted to howl in return. There was this feeling of connection to the cries, like I knew what was causing them. I continued home backwards, gazing in the direction of the beach.